This invention relates to tape dispensers and, in particular, to a dispenser for joining two single adhesive tapes to form and dispense an offset, double-sided adhesive tape.
Single surface adhesive tape, such as masking tape, is well known. For some painting operations, such as spray painting, it is frequently necessary to protect or mask an area that is wider than the width of conventional masking tape. When such a requirement exists, it is common to position a sheet of paper, card board, foil, plastic, or the like over the area to be protected, and to position strips of masking tape about the edges of the sheet, such that the masking tape borders the areas to be painted and secures the sheet. Proper positioning of the sheet and masking tape strips can be a comparatively time-consuming process, particularly if the area to be protected is large.
Double sides adhesive tape has been proposed to facilitate such operations. Double sided adhesive tape is tape that includes adhesive on both sides. The double sided adhesive tape is stuck with one of its adhesive sides in the customary manner to a surface to be covered, while the still free adhesive surface on the other side of the double adhesive tape may be used for holding coverup material, such as, for example, foil, paper, cardboard, etc. This material can be adhered by an easy pressure on the free adhesive side. Historically, double sides adhesive tape has not achieved widespread use, principally because double sided adhesive tape cannot be formed into a roll without the use of a release liner between adjacent tape layers.
The prior art has attempted to overcome this problem, by using a dispenser which forms a double sided adhesive tape from two single surface adhesive tapes as the double sided adhesive tape is dispensed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,400 discloses such a dispenser which is comprised of two separate spindles each holding a supply of rolled up single adhesive tape. The spindles are mounted within a frame. Means for joining the single surfaced adhesive tapes are provided prior to the joined tapes being dispensed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,737 discloses an apparatus for making a double surfaced adhesive tape comprised of two separate rollers, each roller having a roll of single surfaced tape. A third roller is provided for combining the single surfaced tapes into a roll of double sided tape. U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,736 discloses a frame structure with two spindles for supporting first and second rolls of tape. First and second guide members are also attached to the frame for guiding the tape strips to overlap one another with respective adhesive sides opposite one another.